Meshech Weare Papers NH.01 Finding aid prepared by Mylynda Gill
This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit September 26, 2017
College Archives & Special Collections / Wallace E. Mason Library / Keene State College 229 Main Street MS 3201 Keene, New Hampshire, 03435 603-358-2717 [email protected] Meshech Weare Papers NH.01
Table of Contents
Summary Information ...... 4 Biographical/Historical note...... 5 Scope and Contents note...... 5 Arrangement note...... 6 Administrative Information ...... 6 Collection Inventory...... 7 Accounts & Accounting Information...... 7 Charts & Illustrations...... 7 Church & Parish Records...... 7 Committee of Safety...... 8 Continental Congress/United States Congress...... 9 Correspondence...... 10 Court Records and Legal Documents...... 13 Governor Edward Cranfield...... 14 Journals...... 14 King George...... 14 Military Records...... 15 Nathaniel Weare...... 15 New Hampshire Province and State Government Records...... 16 Old Indexes of Collection...... 16 Other Committees & Councils...... 17 Other State Records...... 17 Tax Records...... 18 Town Records (New Hampshire)...... 18
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Summary Information
Repository College Archives & Special Collections / Wallace E. Mason Library / Keene State College
Title Meshech Weare Papers
Date 1637?-1781
Extent 4.0 Linear feet
Language English
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Biographical/Historical note
Meshech Weare is considered to be the first governor of the State of New Hampshire and was known as the "father of the his state". He was born on June 16, 1713, Meshech Weare was the son of Nathaniel Weare and his second wife, Mary Waite. He graduated from Harvard College in 1735. He began his political career in 1739 as town moderator for Hampton Falls. He was a representative of Hampton Falls in the General Assembly. He was also part of the New Hampshire House of Representatives, serving as both speaker and clerk. He was also one of the New Hampshire's delegates that attended the Albany Congress in 1754. In September 1772, Weare served as one of the four judges in the trial of those involved in the Pine Tree Riot, though the participants were found guilty the low fines they received inspired some other rebellious acts against the British government including the Boston Tea Party. Weare was also a leader in drafting the formal constitution that set of New Hampshire to become the first American State on January 5, 1776. Under this constitution, New Hampshire had no individual leader or executive but was run by the legislature. Executive power was appointed to the Committee of Safety, which had the power to act as an executive power when the legislature was not in session. Weare was appointed chairman of this Committee from 1776 to 1784 when it was disbanded. He also served in dual roles as the chief justice for the state's highest court the "Superior Court of Judicature" from 1776 to 1782 and as presiding officer of the Governor's Council from 1776-1784, then part of the upper house of the legislature. Upon the adoption of the second New Hampshire Constitution in 1784, Weare was elected as the first governor or at the time "president" of New Hampshire. He ran unopposed and was only able to serve one year before resigning due to poor health. He died only months later on January 14, 1786. He was 73 years old.
Scope and Contents note
The collection does span the 18th century to the early 19th century. The collection makes up approximately 3.5 to 4 linear feet. The materials in the collection are comprised of but not limited to correspondence, military records and reports, judicial papers such as bonds, warrants, testimonies, etc. There are also deeds, bills of sale, surveys, maps, charts , illustrations, and journals. There are also government documents that belong to New Hampshire before and after it became a state of America that are from various committees, boards, and councils. Additionally, there are government documents that came from the national level such as documents from England from King George and documents from the Continental Congress after America declared independence.
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Arrangement note
The arrangement of the collection has been rearranged several times since its initial creation and it is unknown what the original order was at this point in time. The current arrangement is that the series are listed in alphabetical order and within the the series the materials are arranged chronologically. It is the hope that this arrangement will allow patrons to find documents more easily than past arrangements.
Administrative Information
Publication Information College Archives & Special Collections / Wallace E. Mason Library / Keene State College
Appraisal The collection's contents are over two hundred years old therefore it is advised that all possible perservation techniques be used to ensure the longevity of the collection in the future. Some documents are currently being held together by scotch tape and need to be preserved in better ways.
Existence and Location of Originals note The physical location of this collection is at the New Hampshire State Archives located in Concord, New Hampshire. There are digital copies available at Keene State College in Keene, New Hampshire. Digital copies are also available online at commons.keene.edu
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Collection Inventory
Accounts & Accounting Information 1765?-1776
Box 1
Folder 1: 1716-1808
Folder 2: No Dates
Charts & Illustrations 1738, 1761
Box 1
Folder 1: 1738-1761, no date
Church & Parish Records 1714-1780
Box 1
Folder 1: 1714-1763
Folder 2: 1764-1780
Folder 3: No Date
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Committee of Safety 1776-1782, No Dates
Box 3 July 1776- June 1779
Folder 1: July 1776- January 1778
Folder 2: Febraury 1778- May 1778
Folder 3: June 1778-July 1778
Folder 4: August 1778- October 1778
Folder 5: November 1778- March 1779
Folder 6: April 1779- June 1779
Box 4 July 1779-1782, no dates
Folder 7: July 1779
Folder 8: Augist 1779- September 1779
Folder 9: 1781
Folder 10: 1782
Folder 11: Instructions to towns and responses (Part 1)
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Folder 12: Instructions to towns and responses (Part 2)
Folder 13: No Date
Continental Congress/United States Congress 1776-1781
Box 5 November 1776- June 1780
Folder 1: November 1776- March 1778
Folder 2: April 1778- October 1778
Folder 3: November 1778- July 1779
Folder 4: August 1779- March 1780
Folder 5: April 1780- June 1780
Box 6 July 1780-1784
Folder 6: July 1780- December 1780
Folder 7: January 1781- May 1781
Folder 8: June 1781- December 1781
Folder 9: 1782-1784
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Correspondence
Correspondence- Family
Box 7
Folder 1: 1739-1783
Correspondence- Professional 1737-1781
Box 7
Folder 1: 1743-1756
Folder 2: 1757-1770
Folder 3: 1776-June 1778
Folder 4: July 1778- October 1778
Box 8 November 1778- June 1780
Folder 5: November 1778- June 1779
Folder 6: July 1779- September 1779
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Folder 7: October 1779- March 1780
Folder 8: April 1780- June 1780
Box 9 July 1780- July 1781
Folder 9: July 1780- August 1780
Folder 10: September 1780- November 1780
Folder 11: December 1780- January 6, 1781
Folder 12: January 9, 1781- March 1781
Folder 13: April 1781- May 1781
Folder 14: June 1781- July 1781
Box 10 August 1781-1785, No Date
Folder 15: August 1781- September 1781
Folder 16: October 1781- January 1782
Folder 17: February 1782- August 1782
Folder 18: September 1782- December 1782
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Folder 19: 1783-1785, No Date
Correspondence- Other 1656-1804, No Date
Box 11 1656-April 1780
Folder 1: 1656-1769
Folder 2: July 1776- August 1778
Folder 3: September 1778- April 1779
Folder 4: May 1779- December 1779
Folder 5: January 1780- April 1780
Box 12 May 1780-1804, No Date
Folder 6: May 1780- June 1780
Folder 7: July 1780- December 1780
Folder 8: 1781
Folder 9: January 1782- May 1782
Folder 10: July 1782- December 1782
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Folder 11: 1785-1804, no date
Court Records and Legal Documents
Box 13 1672-1752
Folder 1: 1672-1685
Folder 2: 1703-1722
Folder 3: 1723-1740
Folder 4: 1741-1749
Folder 5: 1750-1751
Folder 6: 1752
Box 14 1753-1823, No Date
Folder 7: 1753-1757
Folder 8: 1758-1759
Folder 9: 1761-1769
Folder 10: 1770-1778
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Folder 11: 1779-1823
Folder 12: No Date
Oversize
Deed from Joseph Shaw to Josiah Shaw, Land and Marsh in Hampton February 28, 1717
Correspondence/Warrant Bennington Wentworth to NH Assembly July 1747
Governor Edward Cranfield 1682-1685
Box 2
Folder 1: 1682-1685
Journals 1746?-1776
Box 2
Folder 1: 1748-1821, No Date
King George No Date
Box 2
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Folder 1: 1769
Folder 2: No Date
Folder 3: No Date
Military Records 1768-1780
Box 15 1755-1814, No Date
Folder 1: 1755-1776
Folder 2: 1777
Folder 3: 1778
Folder 4: 1779-1814
Folder 5: No Date
Nathaniel Weare 1730-1755
Box 16 1684-1755, No Date
Folder 1: 1684-1716
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Folder 2: 1721-1732
Folder 3: 1733-1755
Folder 4: No Date
New Hampshire Province and State Government Records 1715-1805, No Date
Box 17 1715-1805, No Date
Folder 1: 1715-1766
Folder 2: 1767-1777
Folder 3: 1778-1779
Folder 4: 1780-1781
Folder 5: 1782-1805, No Date
Oversize
B. Wentworth to NH Assembly, Governor Shirley Letter July 14, 1747
Old Indexes of Collection
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Box 20
Folder 1
Folder 2
Folder 3
Other Committees & Councils
Box 2
Folder 1: 1737-1779
Other State Records 1668-1784
Box 18 1668-1784
Connecticut
Folder 1: 1778
Massachusetts 1668-1782, No Date
Folder 1: 1668-1728
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Folder 2: 1729-1778
Folder 3: 1779-1782, No Date
New York
Folder 1: 1778-1780
Rhode Island 1778
Folder 1: 1778
Virginia 1784
Folder 1: 1784
Tax Records 1753-1780, No Dates
Box 2
Folder 1: 1753-1780, No Dates
Town Records (New Hampshire) 1653-1787, No Date
Box 19 1653-1787, No Date
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Atkinson
Folder 1: 1786
Dover
Folder 1: No Dates
Goffstown
Folder 1: 1782
Hales
Folder 1: 1753
Hampton/Hampton Falls
Folder 1: 1653-1750
Folder 2: 1751-1765
Folder 3: 1771-1775, No Date
Lebanon
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Folder 1: 1777
New Britain
Folder 1: 1774, No Date
Rockingham
Folder 1: 1787
Undetermined
Box 20
Folder 1
Folder 2
Folder 3
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